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Key Breastfeeding Awareness Events 2016: UK and Worldwide

It’s that time of the year again, when many around the world celebrate local, national, and international breastfeeding awareness events – days, weeks, and months. As a breastfeeding mother of almost 30 months and counting, with a keen interest in the beautiful mothering / family / societal act, art, and science of breastfeeding, this is an exciting time.

It’s also a fab time to win breastfeeding related prizes and get breastfeeding related products at a discount from relevant brands; and indeed a time to help raise money for vital breastfeeding services in our communities.

All through the year in various countries, many breastfeeding awareness events are held, some as a matter of course; like the annual general meetings of different breastfeeding charities. And other events are more ad hoc, to protest against breastfeeding prejudice and discrimination; like nurse-ins, where mothers gather in agreed locations to lawfully and publicly breastfeed their children. These events are vital for the promotion, protection, and support of breastfeeding worldwide.

Below is a list of key breastfeeding awareness events in the UK, US, and around the world in 2016; it’s of course not an exhaustive list. Perhaps you’ve heard of some, most, or all of them. They are events that are no doubt informative and definitely interesting to all who want to find out more about breastfeeding, and further engage with this amazing act.

Key Breastfeeding Awareness Dates 2016

October / November

The Breastfeeding Network’s Big Tea Break fundraising event is a fun event for families, volunteers, and health professionals to get involved with. It aims to raise money for the Network’s Drugs in Breastmilk Information Service, a vital portal that has empowered many women to continue their breastfeeding journey beyond what they might have thought possible.

August

World Breastfeeding Week, now in its 24th year, and celebrated in over 170 countries, runs from Monday 1 to Sunday 7 August. This year’s theme explores the vital role of breastfeeding within sustainability. This is in relation to its contribution to the achievement of the 17 sustainable development goals that world leaders committed to last September, towards ending poverty around the world. The theme addresses 5 broad links between breastfeeding and the sustainable goals:

nutrition and food security

health, well-being, and survival

environment and climate change,

work productivity, empowerment, and social protection

sustainable partnerships and rule of law

I really like this year’s theme because of its link to different development issues over the next 14 years. This exploration of the role of breastfeeding in how we “value our wellbeing from the start of life, how to respect each other and care for the world we share” is definitely thought-provoking.

The Big Latch On is happening towards the end of World Breastfeeding Week this year, at 10.30am on Friday 5 and Saturday 6 August. It’s a lovely celebration of breastfeeding, and a fun way to raise awareness and promote local, national, and international support for it. You can register online to host a Latch On, or find a location near you to attend one.

June

UK National Breastfeeding Week ran from Saturday 18 June to Monday 27 June. This year’s theme was about celebrating breastfeeding by raising awareness of breastfeeding support on a local level, as well as the health value of breastfeeding for mums and babies, and indeed the general public. As usual, there were many local and regional activities to celebrate the week, including the Breastfeeding Festival at Salford in Manchester, during the 2nd weekend of the Week.

unfortunately, one of the highlights of this Week didn’t happen this year; the lovely Keep Britain Breastfeeding and its impressive scavenger hunt for fabulous breastfeeding prizes. Check out the themed blogs on Boobie Milk‘s June / August 2012 to 2015 archives for a good variety of breastfeeding reads from different bloggers.

May

The Breastfeeding Network runs one of their annual breastfeeding fundraising events, Mum’s Milk Run, over a week in May / June. It’s a fun event to get involved with, to raise breastfeeding awareness and support the Network’s fantastic work. It’s definitely an event that makes a difference for many, and one I’ll like to get involved with in the future.

Medela UK launched The Big Breastfeeding Cafe this year, bringing together lots of breastfeeding mums across the country, for awareness and mum to mum support on 18 May. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get involved due to work commitments; but it sure brought back lovely memories of the Medela breastfeeding cafes I hosted last year.

April

Medela held its 11th International Breastfeeding and Lactation Symposium in Berlin, Germany on Friday 15 to Saturday 16 April 2016. They brought together 400 participants from 41 countries, and 9 scientists from 5 countries to “discuss the results of the latest scientific research on the importance of breast milk and implementation of findings in clinical practice”.

Breast milk provides life-long health protection

Breastfeeding protects against chronic diseases

Human milk – the earlier it is given, the better

Human milk: the natural combination of nutrition and health protection

Human milk – its constituents makes it unique

Human milk – the optimum food for preterm babies

New approaches to neonatal treatment

Summaries of the presentations and short videos of the speakers can be accessed online; as well as abstracts of the key topics.

Such an interesting event for everyone to see the importance of breastmilk to babies. I totally support this event. What a pity that I missed it. Anyway, thanks for posting about this for everyone to know and join the event. I think events like this should be held more to boost the awareness of parents.